What is CBT?
CBT stands for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. According to the American Psychological Association, CBT is one of the most commonly used methods of therapy and is considered to be as effective, if not more effective than, other forms of therapy or medication. CBT is widely used by therapists, addiction counselors, social workers, psychologists, and psychiatrists. CBT is used to treat anxiety, depression, PTSD, addictions, OCD, ADHD, and more. CBT can be useful for treating other issues including insomnia, relationship issues, grief, and problems at work.
How Does CBT Work?
CBT is based upon the idea that one may develop psychological problems such as anxiety because of unhelpful ways of thinking or learned patterns of behaviors. As humans, we have all seen behaviors modeled for us by caregivers, family members, and friends. We may develop unhelpful behaviors from relationships, thoughts, and other experiences. Have you ever experienced social anxiety? From a CBT perspective, your social anxiety may be caused by subconscious, automatic thoughts that are saying to you, “Everyone is looking at you. People are judging you or talking about you. You sound like an idiot!”. These thoughts are going to contribute to symptoms of anxiety and can even develop unwanted behaviors, such as avoiding going in public or having a panic attack at the thought of leaving home. With CBT, your therapist will work with you to challenge and change these unhelpful thoughts and behaviors.
CBT for Anxiety
CBT is an effective way to treat anxiety. In CBT, there are types of thoughts that are considered to be “Cognitive Distortions”, which are common ways of thinking that are unhelpful and contribute to anxiety. A few of the most common cognitive distortions include:
Catastrophizing (Always assuming the worst-case scenario)
Jumping to Conclusions
All-or-Nothing Thinking (Thinking in absolutes such as “I never do a good job at anything” or “I always mess up relationships”)
Disqualifying the Positive (Only recognizing the negative aspects of a situation and ignoring the positive)
CBT teaches you how to cope with these types of thoughts and behaviors. CBT works for anxiety by confronting these maladaptive thoughts and viewing them in light of reality.
How Do CBT Sessions Work?
CBT treatment begins with mindful self-awareness. In order to change thoughts, beliefs, or behavioral patterns, one needs to identify what they are currently thinking and doing.
CBT helps identify common thought patterns that are causing psychological issues. Patterns of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are discussed, and you may be asked to keep a “thought journal” of common thoughts you experience outside of therapy in your daily life.
Once common thought patterns are identified, various methods may be used to challenge and change those thoughts. You may be challenged to identify “Core Beliefs” about yourself that are connected to those thoughts you identified. Core beliefs are the deeply held assumptions about how we see ourselves, others, and the world around us. Core beliefs that cause anxiety or depression may sound like, “I am worthless, I don’t deserve love, I am powerless”. In therapy, we may even go back to your childhood and work to see where these core beliefs or thoughts first originated.
Changing Your Thoughts and Behaviors
Once the unhelpful thoughts or behaviors are identified, the therapist will work to help you change the unwanted thoughts and behaviors. Strategies can include:
Cognitive Disputation - The therapist may ask you questions that challenge the logic of your thoughts.
Cognitive Restructuring - This process can include tracking your thoughts, replacing irrational thoughts, or engaging in behavioral “experiments” to test if your thoughts are accurate.
Exposure Therapy - This is a technique within CBT where the therapist will gradually help to expose you to your fear so that the avoidance of your fear does not continue to reinforce anxiety symptoms.
Mindful Self-Compassion - The therapist will teach and assign homework to have you practice being more compassionate to yourself when experiencing negative thoughts.
Skill Development - Skills may be taught and practiced in session that build your assertiveness, self-esteem, and ability to communicate.
Will CBT Work For Me?
Every individual is different in terms of symptoms, past experiences, and personal resilience. It would be unethical to guarantee that a certain type of therapy would work for each and every person.
Fortunately, CBT is highly-researched and commonly used for issues like depression and anxiety. CBT primarily works using traditional talk-therapy to identify and change unwanted thoughts and behaviors. In order for CBT to be effective, you need to be willing to participate and collaborate with the therapist on current issues and potential solutions. There are many techniques within CBT that can be used, and you may find that you prefer certain techniques over others. It’s important that you communicate with your therapist if you feel that a certain technique is working or not. CBT is a straight-forward approach to therapy that requires work and active participation from the client. CBT is most effective when it is practiced in-between sessions. It may take time for the results of CBT to appear, but if you are consistent with the work, it can greatly help to alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression.
How Do I Get Started With CBT?
If you find that you are interested in how CBT can help with anxiety, depression, or other psychological issue, please fill out the Contact Me form to receive a free, 15-minute consultation. I’m happy to answer any questions about CBT specifically and give you details on what CBT therapy can look like for you.
